Do I Use the Soft G Sound or the Hard G Sound? 

There’s one thing that can be said for the English language… it likes to confuse us!

One of the ways it does this is by allowing single graphemes (letters) to represent multiple phonemes (sounds). One such example of this is the letter G. The letter G can make a /g/ sound, as in the word “gold.” It can also make a /j/ sound, as in the word “gel”.

Thankfully, simple guidelines can help young readers and writers identify when the letter G makes each sound. The rule “G says /j/ before e, i, and y” is one such guideline. While it may not apply in every possible situation, this rule can be helpful in guiding students through the process of decoding and encoding unfamiliar words.

How to Make the Most of This Soft G and Hard G Spelling Rule Poster

This poster has been created to support literacy instruction in your classroom. You may wish to use it in the following ways:

1. Print the poster on tabloid paper and display it in your classroom as a reminder of when the letter G says /g/ and when it says /j/.
2. As you teach this spelling rule, provide students with a smaller version of the poster to paste into their workbooks.
3. Use the resource as a word wall display by adding examples of other words that follow the letter G spelling rule around the poster.

Download the File Format That Best Suits Your Classroom!

Use the dropdown menu next to the Download button to select from this resource’s PDF or Google Slides version.

This resource was created by Kendall Britnell, a teacher in Colorado and a Teach Starter collaborator.

Make sure you swing by the Phonics collection to grab more hard and soft sound of g worksheets, games, and activities for the classroom.